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This post is, admittedly, a touch belated, if only because yesterday I was busy and therefore distracted.

But Charlie also wanted to wish everyone a good Valentine's Day, so here's me, indulging him.

( Cut for image. Safe for all areas of life. )

How upset with me do you think Robert would be if I sent these to him on Valentine's Day?

I think everyone at the office might get one, instead. Or at least the people I've worked with. There are an awful lot of people over at Stark, after all.

I've come to the conclusion that I'm not actually very romantic. I know, some of you out there will find that absolutely bizarre, but I assure you it's very true.

This is a very upsetting realization. Is there a way for people to learn romance or is it simply a quality some are born with and others must make due without?

Well, my dreams got extremely exciting all of a sudden. I got run off the road into the river last night because of an expose story I'm writing.

And the report which proves a project is extremely dangerous turned up on my bedside table this morning!

[Private to Rufus Sixsmith]

The report I got was written by you, if you wanted to see it I'd be more than happy to pop by and show it to you.

What does one do when one's first anniversary falls on Valentine's Day? Something extravagant, I expect, and I fully plan on that, he deserves it.

But I'm just not sure what to do. A nice dinner, of course, and I've a few little gifts in mind for him. But I want to make the day really special for the two of us, so I'm open to suggestions and opinions. Especially from Robert's friends, of course.

I feel like I'm the only person in the building who didn't go to CES, but I'm glad everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves.

The quiet was nice, while it lasted. Welcome back, one and all.

To think, The Jetsons was set only 48 years from now. And Back to the Future II was only set in 2015. Part of me wonders where the flying cars are at, but then, I still remember life before the internet, so...wow.

This is it. One more semester and I'll be walking off with a pretty graduate's degree. Never thought I'd see the day. Might get it framed and send it off to my dad, just because I know it'll piss him off.

Still, four months seems unbearable. Can't stand these people a moment longer than I must. Starting to wonder if my professors are passing me because they're sick of me, too. Wouldn't that be hilarious.

Also, I feel now is the time to share this. After months of those ludicrous dreams and sleepless nights and haunting melodies, I penned down what I proudly call The Cloud Atlas Sextet. To be fair, I got it from my dreams, and Luisa's gotten a proper record of it. So why not.

Don't have an orchestra at my disposal for the full effect, but here's the piano version I uploaded. If anyone feels so keen.

As a physicist, this is how I bid farewell to the old year.



I will see all of you in 2014. Happy New Year!

Tonight, we're all dressed up for the annual Sixsmith Christmas party. Mum and Dad always tend to go overboard, but it's usually a good time. And this year I get to bring Robert, which will make everything even better. My family is so completely charmed by him, it's fantastic.

Charlie's coming too, of course, and he looks dashing.


Hopefully he'll get along with my mother's terrible little dog.

I'd found this bundle of letters at the back of my closet a few days ago, and I've been reading them with the utmost fascination. They've all been signed "Sincerily, RF", which is quite funny because those are Robert's intitials, and he has letters signed RS which are mine.

They were quite interesting, detailing a young man's adventures across Europe, being an amanuensis for a composer in Belgium and other such things.

It was all well and good until yesterday when I got to the last letter, dated December 12th, 1931.

They apparently make nail polish especially for dogs.

I think Charlie needs to be a pretty princess. Or maybe red and green for the holidays?

I feel like I'm hitting a major milestone in my adult life now, it's very strange. For the first time, I have someone to bring home for Thanksgiving dinner.

Despite being from England, my parents have adapted quite well to American traditions and they do love getting the family together for Thanksgiving. And this is the first year that I've really felt comfortable with the man I'm with to bring him home with me.

We've been together ten months already, I can hardly believe it. It seems like both ages and ages and the blink of an eye, all at once.

It's just... really, really lovely. All of it is.

It's official. Even I can't get work done because of Buzzfeed.

That's it, then. After the weeks of worry and build-up, I've seen my dream life through to the end. Must admire the methodical thought behind it all. Woke last night with a start and the shot still ringing my ears, been up ever since.

Feel strangely hollow. Not because of the dreams, not really. Finally did it. The Cloud Atlas Sextet is done, surrounded here by butts of cigarettes and an abandoned bowl of Frosted Flakes. Not sure what to do now it's all said and done. Maybe tonight I'll sleep and sleep for hours. Think I'm about due that.

So this Halloween party I'm going to is coming up and I just realized I don't have a costume for it.

Do you think anyone would think poorly of me if I threw on a labcoat and went as a mad scientist? Time just got completely away from me, this month.

Working with a company that actually respects me and my work, and even having time to work on my own projects, is nice. Seems like I loved it so much I sort of turned out everything for awhile. Sorry, all! Its been a good month so far, and I am definitely not complaining.

My therapist was shocked I hadn't done much other than be with my fiance and work, though, and told me I need to get out more, so... ah, hello, all, again! Name's Zach Jupiter.

Halloween Party, October 26. You know if you're not there the rest of the world will be laughing at you.

I just flew in from Amsterdam, and boy are my arms tired.

...tough crowd.

It's always good to come back home. As much fun as traveling can be, nothing quite beats a familiar setting, though I admit that while I've lived here some time, I'm new to this board.

My name is Edwin Jarvis. I've just returned from a business trip abroad and thought I'd come have a look here. Apparently it's a very good way of keeping up with the goings-on of Orange County. Those of you who work at Stark Industries likely already know me, but for the rest of you, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance.

Sometimes I do this and leave it for Robert before work.

He doesn't think it's nearly as funny as I do.

Now that I have my bar staffed up again I can focus on some of the fun things I've been planning! Since our last oil wrestling tournament went so well (we raised $2,000 on short notice for local veterans), I've been thinking about making it a permanent thing. There would be a small purse for the winners, with the rest of ticket sales going toward charity.

We're thinking of having two leagues, essentially, one for men and one for women. If we can't get enough participants of one gender we'll figure something else out.

What I need from you, Valarnetwork people, is participation! We'll accept anyone in good physical health who can commit to a tournament once a month. We'll open the space up for practice the rest of the time, and the rent would be very reasonable per hour. There's a $50 sign up fee, and after that you'll just have to show up. This is going to be my favorite tax write off

It's official. water on Mars!

I feel like I haven't been around in ages, but I've been bouncing between school and conferences, and now a new job! I'm officially doing research work with Tony Stark at The Irvine Company, which is incredibly exciting.

I hear there are quite a few of us, so I look forward to meeting all of you.

Oof, I'm so very done with hotel rooms and conferences and things. As Robert I think told you all, I've been away for reasons of science, and I've very much been missing home.

But I'm back now. Exhausted, but happy to be home. Lovely to see everyone again.

The other day I heard something rattling around in my sock drawer. Which was odd, seeing as socks don't tend to rattle. Upon investigation, I found an old Cambridge ring.

I say old because it looked quite well worn, and rather tarnished. I'm sure it isn't mine, as mine is silver and this one is gold.

I think I'll keep it as a good luck charm.

For the next week, I'll be spending all my time at my own place for once (Rufus is on exams and it's boring to be there better if he's not distracted).

Please someone tell me that you want to come keep me company. I get so very lonely and sad on my own. :( I promise absolutely to make it worth your while.

I feel bad for all the people who seem to have awful dreams here, because I've only had wonderful ones. And in all of them, my dear boyfriend Robert seems to appear. Though we seem to be in a different time, much earlier. The 20s or 30s, perhaps?

I met him again, in my dreams. Not at a pub like I did here, but at school, where I burst in on him, quite rudely I must say, playing the loveliest tune on the piano.

After that we sort of... drifted together until I confessed my undying affection for him, and he did the same. We ended up spending the summer together at my family's manor house in the English countryside (which does not, for the record, actually exist).

All in all, quite lovely dreams.

Alright, Valar people, if you had the time and money to go anywhere in the world for a week, where would you go?

I can speak most Romance Languages, Japanese, some Mandarin, and Klingon, so there's that to consider, too.

I kinda want a dog. What's a great breed to get when you have a growing one-year-old and a small-ish house? I mean, we have a fenced in backyard too.

I have no idea where this is coming from, but I blame all those dog food commercials on TV.

The closer summer and the end of the semester gets, the more I keep thinking about finding a dog for myself. Though my boyfriend may or may not be getting us a cat, so there's that to consider.

So I'll ask -- dog owners, what are the pros and cons of having your own dog? Especially a big dog.

You apparently can sell anything on the internet. Men, behold: you can buy "vagina essence" online. No, really. It's basically bottled vagina essence and you're supposed to just ... huff it, I guess.

WHAT HATH THE INTERWEBS BROUGHT US? WHAT HAS SCIENCE DOOOOOOONE?

Memorial Day weekend. I really need something to do that doesn't involve writing meaningless comments on term papers.

Attention ladies and gentlemen! As my birthday steadily draws nearer, I realize I want to have an absolutely ginormous party.

School's out, summer and freedom is near, and I think I'd like to have something beachy themed. I want lots of blended beverages and men and women in nothing but swimsuits and lots of poor fantastic decisions.

Please tell me someone out there has a pool and loves me enough to facilitate this endeavour. :c

Hello Valarnet! My fellow science folk in particular! I'm looking for some advice/ideas.

I've been contemplating getting some kind of tattoo (I know, I know, call me crazy, but I'm just entertaining the idea for now). Now I loooove science, physics in particular, but I can't decide what I want.

So shoot me some ideas and the like and I'll go from there :-D

Dear network,

If you could travel anywhere in the world and spend a year there exploring and settling into the way of life, where would it be?

Follow up question: Why did you chose this place?

Love,
Luna Scamander

I've stumbled across this article, which dispels many popular myths about scientists. I thought a few others among us might find it as funny and surprisingly accurate as I do.

The myths and their truths are under the cut, for easy reading, since the font on that site is rather small.

It would be completely insane for me to adopt a dog on my kind of work schedule, wouldn't it? Completely out of the question, right? Someone stop me from doing this.

I dreamed I was in Corsica, the other night. Robert was there, and we went sailing and swimming and simply meandering about the island.

I think it's likely the best, most romantic and most wonderful dream I've ever had. The sort where you're angry at your alarm clock for waking you up.

No one seems to like game night with the physics students.

I think I've pinpointed the reason why:

Well this week has been intense. And I still have a full day of classes tomorrow.

Still then it's the weekend, I'm leading a hike on Saturday. If anybody is free you should come along, we still have a few places left.

Oh I'm Melanie btw

So I believe it would be remiss of me if I didn't introduce myself as I've moved to the area recently. And the internet does seem to be the best way of meeting people in a new town.

My name is Luisa and I'm a writer by trade, I'm hoping to find some inspiration here. But don't worry that doesn't mean you'll turn up in my next book ;)

For those who were concerned, my nose was in fact broken. But not out of shape, so it didn't need to be reset, thank god.

In better news, one mister Robert Frobisher and I will be headed out of town starting tomorrow. My parents have a lovely little place out near Napa and we've managed to snag it for ourselves for a week or so.

I'm a bit nervous I've never taken anyone out there before, so hopefully it goes well.

I honestly can't believe it. I feel like a teenager again, I'm positively giddy over this.

Lord, I think I'm blushing.

Does anyone else get just exhausted whenever people ask where you're from? I mean, sure, I've got an accent. But isn't it quite obvious I've come from Scotland?

I think all Brits that move to America must be troubled with this too. I feel it's the very first thing I get from people: "Are you from Scotland?" Bloody hell, of course I am. How else would I have gotten the accent? Not exactly the prettiest one, I'd say, so why would anyone just try and learn it?

If the question's just meant to make small talk, it's bad. Small talk is probably evil.

Suppose I've just heard the question so much that I've started to get annoyed.

...And I suppose that introduces me quite nicely. I'm Elissa Cousland, and I'm from Scotland. Where are you from?

Well today's game was... interesting, to say the least. I got smashed in the nose, which hurt like hell (someone got a video of me after the game, as you can see).I'll probably have a black eye for a few days, but it was worth it because we ended up winning the game.

We didn't win anything, per se, as it's all in fun. But we did keep score this time and my team was the one with the most points.

Besides, it'll be a fun story to tell.

Since my place seems to be a relatively spook-free zone, I'm debating writing to my mentor that I'm horribly ill and would it be all right if I worked from home for a few days.

That way, the scariest thing I have to worry about is waking up nose to nose with a pomeranian.

Okay. Really - is no one else experiencing the insane level of spooky going on right now? Because if it's just me, maybe I ought to be committed. But I mean it, there is definitely something (someone?) lurking in my home, and I absolutely positively swear I saw it (them? he? her???) in my room as I slept. Tried to sleep.

My dog's acting odd, too. Anyway. The point is, I'm definitely not staying here tonight. Nope, not in the slightest. If you need to find me for some reason, I'll be in Laguna Hills. (Rufus, if you read this before I text you, surprise! I'm coming to stay a bit.)

Why do I even still live here. :(


ETA: Rufus has a really nice place. Like. Really nice. And snuggly sweaters. He doesn't know this yet, but I've decided to take up permanent residence here. :)

I hope everyone had a positively wonderful day yesterday. I certainly did.

Somehow I've come out of it with a boyfriend, which is mildly disconcerting was definitely not what I expected. And yet I couldn't feel happier about it.

Strange.

That's all. I felt it was groundbreaking enough to make the announcement. I'm going back to bed, where a good looking blond is waiting for me.

My friend Robert has inspired me, I'm thinking of getting a dog. Possibly a puppy, but maybe a rescue dog from one of the local shelters. I get a bit lonely, sometimes, and could use the companionship.

I've got it all worked out: I can bring him with me to school and do my research outside, when possible. There may be a few hours where he'd have to stay outside, but I'd take breaks and go and play with him and walk him around when I'm forced to stay in the lab. If need be, my parents can dog sit.

I'm thinking some sort of setter or retriever. A majestic dog, you know. Something regal. Will keep everyone posted.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature11819.html


I love my field of work, there's always so much going on. I've always found black holes to be incredible. It's amazing to think how far we have come and with research and dedication we will continue to make new and fascinating discovery's. Science geeks will eventually take over the world ;)